Riderwood retirement community experiences string of burglaries

Facility-owned computer, personal property stolenby Kara Rose

Staff Writer

Eight Riderwood retirement community residents reported missing property over the last few months.

During that time, facility-owned computer equipment also was missing. The facility computer equipment stolen was password protected and did not include Social Security, credit or other financial information, according to an emailed statement by Erickson Living, which manages the retirement community in Silver Spring.

Jeffrey Getek, a spokesman for Erickson, provided the statement.

Erickson officials would not confirm whether medical information for residents was stored on the computer equipment, but they said they have “no reason to believe that any information has been accessed.”

To help prevent further incidents during the last two months, Erickson said Riderwood has increased security measures campuswide, worked with multiple law enforcement agencies, had a transparent dialogue with residents and staff, sent letters, had town hall meetings and done some in-house TV programming to alert residents and keep them informed.

Officials said the incidents were “highly unusual” in Riderwood’s 13-year history.

Erickson was unable to comment on whether keys have been duplicated or whether stolen items have been recovered.

They said the police investigation is continuing and that Riderwood and Erickson have been fully cooperating to “identify and prosecute the individual(s) involved.”

Montgomery County Police had not responded to a request for more information by Monday afternoon.